About Vote by Mail (Absentee) Voting

There are several ways to request a vote by mail (absentee)
ballot:

Call
941.861.8618 and be prepared to give your name, address, date of birth and address
where the ballot should be mailed. Effective Jan 1, 2014, a request for a ballot to be mailed to an address other than the one on file with the SOE, must be in writing and signed by the voter. (Exception: absent uniformed service and overseas voters)

Print out the absentee ballot request form below and mail it to PO Box 4194, Sarasota
FL 34230-4194 or fax the completed form to (941) 861.8617.

The supervisor of elections will accept a written or telephone request for a vote by mail ballot from the elector,
or if directly instructed by the elector, a member of the elector's immediately family or legal guardian. Immediate family includes spouse, parent, child, grandparent, or sibling of elector or elector's spouse.

If you are requesting a vote by mail ballot for someone other than yourself, be prepared
to give your name, address, your relationship to the voter and your driver license
number (if available) as well as the voter’s name, address, date of birth and the
address to which the ballot is to be mailed.

IMPORTANT - Vote by mail ballots cannot be forwarded so be sure we have your correct mailing address on
file. Even if the post office forwards your mail to your summer address, they will not forward absentee
ballots. Please remember also to return your voted ballot as soon as possible so that it reaches our
office not later than 7 p.m. on election day. Effective January 1, 2014, if you return your absentee ballot to the supervisor of elections but forget to sign the ballot certificate, your ballot will not count unless you complete and return the Absentee Ballot Affidavit to the elections office by 5 p.m. on the day before the election. Please follow the instructions on the form carefully, as failure to follow these instructions may cause your ballot not to count.

All requests for an absentee ballot to be mailed must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. 6 days prior to an election
(the Wednesday before the election) to allow enough time for mailing.

Note: Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response
to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this office. Instead, contact this office by phone or
in writing.